Creating and Using Overheads

Back to Effective Use of Color

Contrasts make colors appealing. Just look at trees changing in autumn. Imagine the spectacular shades of yellows, reds, oranges and browns. When choosing three colors for your visual aids, you should consider the following:

• Luminance Contrast - Luminance refers to the relative brightness of a color. Your three colors should encompass a good range of luminance values. For instance, a dark blue, a medium blue, and a light blue provide a good luminance spread.
• Hue Contrast - Hue refers to the color itself. Strive for a harmonious mix of colors rather than a strong contrast. Distinct, but related colors (red, orange and yellow) work better together than strikingly different colors (red, green and blue).